The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

Hello everybody, total newbie here. My name is Lee, and I recently aquired, after much badgering, my Bosses Sprint from him. The story of the car, well, the car was restored in 1994, but the guy who was doing the car got fed up, and after getting the cam timing incorrect, thought sod it. He owed my boss some money for services rendered, and the thrashed out a deal. The car then spent 19 years in a (thankfully dry) container, and didn't see the light of day until last October. I had been trying to buy the car from him for many years without even seeing her, but I finally clapped my eyes on her, and knew that it was destiny! So, a few weeks ago, I asked again, and I must have got my timing right as he aggreed!
So, that weekend, I paid me money and got her home to my newly built garage, to start a new life living next to my Rover SD1 Rally/Drift car project.
Anyway, plans with the car...............I have started to strip her down, and I intend to restore her to her former, totally original (ish) glory, I may just implement a few modifications/tweeks here and there to bring her up to modern standards and then hope to enjoy her through the summer.
But, being absolutely new to the Triumph brand, I will no doubt be asking for some (lots of) tips and advice as the project unfolds.
Anyway, here are some pics, feel free to comment and let me know what you think....................

Her first night at home, the pictures make her out to be mint, they lie..................









However, the shell is just about as good as you will get, she has had some extremly small patches of welding, but very little..........





That needs to come out..............



There we go...............





Overdrive? Yes please!.................



Nice and minty under here....................







And in here..............



Thanks for looking.................

wow, what a great looking example, well done Lee, a great find.

I'm guessing you'll be stripping the engine then, to sort out if any damage was done by the incorrect timing ?

it certainly looks like a sound shell to be working on and I learnt the hard way that engines are the easy part, the shells are the hard part.

thanks for the photos and ask away with the questions, lots of very clever people on this forum.

stu

Welcome to the forum. Unfortunately, I can't see the photos ecause I'm browsing from work and they block some of the photo hosting sites. You've come to the right place and there's plenty who can offer you some good advice. Don't forget to join the club. Wherabouts are you? There might be somebody local to you who could help. The club operates a Good Neighbours scheme.

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Toledo Man

West Yorkshire Area Organiser & forum moderator
Meetings take place on the first Wednesday of the month at 8.00pm at The Old Brickworks, Wakefield Road, Drighlington, Bradford, BD11 1EA

1972 Dolomite 1850 auto (NYE 751L - Now for sale)
2003 Volvo XC90 D5 SE (PX53 OVZ - The daily driver)
2009 Mercedes-Benz W204 C200 CDI Sport (BJ58 NCV - The 2nd car)
1991 Toyota Celica GT (J481 ONB - another project car)
Former stable of SAY 414M (1974 Toledo), GRH 244D (1966 1300fwd), CDB 324L (1973 1500fwd), GGN 573J (1971 1500fwd), DCP 625S (1977 Dolomite 1300) & LCG 367N (1975 Dolomite Sprint) plus 5 Acclaims and that's just the Triumphs!

Check my blog at http://triumphtoledo.blogspot.com
My YouTube Channel with a bit of Dolomite content.

"There is only one way to avoid criticsm: Do nothing, say nothing and BE nothing." Aristotle

Welcome Lee. I've restored a few myself & that body looks pretty solid. Fan blades are non-standard BTW.

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Sprintless for the first time in 35+ years. ... Still Sprintless.

Engines, Gearboxes, Overdrives etc. rebuilt. PM me.


1997 TVR Chimaera 450

I think that's an 1850 fan and pulley.

Great Sprint, fantastic garage!

Looks a nice car.
When I bought one of my Sprints 20 years ago,I had a choice of 3. One of them was SBV 555T,which must have been registered quite close to yours.
I too would suggest joining the club,and as others have said,where abouts are you?

James

Thanks for the welcome guys. I am in a tiny village just North of Ashbourne in Debyshire. My love affair with these cars started many years ago when I was a small child. A family in the village who I helped to firstly wash, then mend (thats what got me where I am today.................... ?) their lorries, had a Dolly sprint and a 2500TC in the family.

Yes, I intend to strip the head off this weekend, I have been told that the engine was never run, or attempted to start with the cam timing wrong, the chap who was building her realised his mistake and it tipped him over the edge and he never laid another spanner on her (allegedly, we shall see).

So, keep em peeled for regular updates.....................................

As you're local Lee,why not come across to our monthly meeting in Chesterfield?
Details are on the Meetings and Events page under Derbys/Notts/Leics Meeting.
PM me if you want to know more.

James

I would love to James, but I have a problem as I work permanant afternoons, and I have no social life at all! I might see if I can swap one night and come along for a natter............

Anyway, been continuing the strip down this afternoon, and was thinking of some questions...............................

No1, what colour would the underside of the car been originally? This one has been stone-chipped in Black, but I may paint the underside the same as the top..................
No2, Rimmers say that they do a N/S rear door, but you have to modify a door carcass originally for a 1500. Anyone know what the mod is?
No3, what does anyone recommend suspension wise? I have been looking at the options, again on Rimmers site, but I am open to any more suggestions................
No4 Anyone know the paint code for my car? Or point me in the direction? I suppose it is on the chassis plate is it?
No5, although it looks like the exhaust was new when it got put away, it is not nice. Any ideas?

Thats it for now but I am sure there will be loads more...............

4. Paint code is indeed on the chassis plate. That colour is either Vermillion (CAE) or Flamenco (CAD).

_________________
Sprintless for the first time in 35+ years. ... Still Sprintless.

Engines, Gearboxes, Overdrives etc. rebuilt. PM me.


1997 TVR Chimaera 450

I cant really see the point of such a complete tear down of a car that has already been restored when all it needs is to have the cam timing set up properly. You could have done that carefully engine all in place and maybe done a compression test, some fresh fuel and see if it would run.

That way you could have saved yourself a head gasket at least and a lot of time to get a running car again.

I also cant really see the reasoning in taking out the windows and subjecting your interior to an inevitable dusty workshop environment unprotected.
Now you have to have the seats out and stored somewhere carefully.

Still its your life....but put it back together quickly and be single focussed is my advice as bits have a habit of getting mixed up and lost.
What do I know...

It looks like it will be a cracker one day...

Jonners

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Note from Admin: sadly Jon passed away in February 2018 but his humour and wealth of knowledge will be fondly remembered by all. RIP Jonners.

I agree but at least it gives him a chance to check everything over and do it his own way.

Thanks for your input Jon, however, these next set of pics may not sit well with you!..................

If I may explain, the car was restored an awful long time ago, and the paintwork was bad, nay, shocking to say the least. The engine bay was a mess and the whole of the body is covered with micro blisters, so I am giving her a full respray, and anyone worth their mettle, knows that can't be done (properly) without a total stripdown.
With regards to the engine, again, maybe I could have just attempted to rectify the cam timing and got her running, but is that wise of an engine that has never ran for 20 years? I don't think so at all, and during the strip, I have found some things that I wouldn't have been happy with at all. Again, you can do things correct in the first instance, or do them again whan you have had to shell out for an expensive recovery bill! Anyway, I hope that you like her when she is done, I am hoping for a very quick turnaround, so keep em peeled............

Engine bay stripped............



No worries about the interior, it is safely in storage in the loft.............







Engine in partial strip, sump off for a thorough bottom end inspection at the weekend............



Water pump is on order!...................



Head will be taken to work this week and give a thorough overhaul and some mild porting...............



My work is absolutely next door to Peter Burgess' place, I would love to get him to do the head, but I am hoping to keep to a budget. It will however be set up on his rolling road before she hits the road...........

Fair enough...

Blame the original set of pics for not showing the car in its true light then. Looks like you are in for a seriously thorough job
and mine is the same colour, so I'm sure I will approve of the finished article, and as you say the full strip is the only way to get
it 100%, as Mart, MikeyB and several others have shown....

Jonners

_________________
Note from Admin: sadly Jon passed away in February 2018 but his humour and wealth of knowledge will be fondly remembered by all. RIP Jonners.